Valve



Feb. 14, 1939. c ARBQGAST 2,146,878

' VALVE Filed Dec. 13, 1935' 7 J P m 31 START 5Y5T;@

SOLENOID VALVE INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 14, 1939 VALVE Alfred o. Arbogast, Elkhart, Ind., asaignor it lfgthern Indiana Brass Company, Elkhart,

Application December 13, 1935, Serial No. 54,193

2Claims.

The main objects of my invention are:

First, to provide improved valve means for a sprinkler system.

Second, to provide a novel automatically actuated valve.

Objects relating to details and economies of my invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

A structure which is a preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic view of a sprinkler system embodying my invention, a single sprinkler unit valve being illustrated, parts being broken away and sectioned for convenience in illustration.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, illustrating one of the solenoid actuated controlling valves.

The present invention relates to an automatically actuated valve particularly devisedrfor a sprinkler system having clock means for determining the time in which valves controlling a plurality of sprinkler units are actuated, such a clock controlled system being illustrated in my copending application, Serial No. 218,317, flied July 9, 1938, which is a division of the present application. The system comprises a plurality of control valves actuated by solenoids to govern the fluid pressure acting on a valve according to the present invention forming a part of the unit, the solenoids being successively actuated by the clock means referred to, whereby a plurality of sprinkler units may be successively placed in or cut out of operation. A single sprinklerunit is illustrated and only one sprinkler head of that unit, however a series of solenoid actuated controlled valves are indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, a supply pipe from a main header is indicated by the reference numeral I. It will be understood that a main header supplies water to a plurality of unit supply pipes,

the number thereof being dependent upon the number of sprinkler units included in the system. Pipe i is connected to a valve casing 2 to deliver water to the intake chamber 3 thereof. Connecting the intake chamber with a discharge chamber 4 is a valve opening or port 5 having a beveled seat 6. The discharge or spray unit pipe I is connected to casing 2 at the chamber 4 and communicates in turn withsprinkling heads 1. Coacting with the valve seat 6 is a valve 8 made up of a disk 9, a facing ill carried thereby, and a rethereon.

taining member ll having depending guide lugs I 2 for a purpose to be described. The valve is carried on a plunger rod l3, being secured thereto by retaining member I l which is threaded on the lower end of the rod. Plunger rod I3 5 has a by-pass bore or passage it therein, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, for a purpose. to be hereinafter described.

Fixedly mounted on rod l3 above valve 8 and cooperating with the side walls 01 casing 2, I 10 provide a pair of ,plungers l5 and I6 comprising respectively the circular cup leathers I I, I8 and retaining plates I9, 20. Spacer rings 2| separate the two plungers, and a nut 22 threaded to the upper end of plunger rod It holds the plungers 15 As indicated in Fig. 1, the upper plunger I6 is larger in diameter than lower plunger I5 for a purpose to be described. To close the end of upper cylinder 23 in casing 2, I provide a head 24 secured to the casing by screws 20 or threads 25 and a suitable gasket 231s interposed between the head and the casing. Head 24 has a boss 29 which is bored and tapped to receive a pipe fitting 30 connected to a pressure relief or exhaust pipe 3|. 25 The exhaust pressure relief pipe carries at its opposite end a fitting 32 which is tapped into the valve body 33 of the solenoid controlled valve actuating device 34. The valve body 33, as indicated in Fig. 2 is bored to provide passages 35, 36 30 and 31 communicating respectively with fitting 32, with a clean-out opening38 having a closure 'plug 39, and with an exhaust elbow fitting ll! connected to a pipe il leading to a drain 42. A

plunger valve 43 is arranged to slide in valve body 35 33 to govern the flow of water through passages 35, 36 and 37, depending upon the position of the valve. Valve 33 is actuated by a solenoid 44 mounted in a casing 45 above valve body 83 and secured thereto by screws 46. 40

In the position of parts indicated in Fig. 2, the valve 43 is in its closed position, so that communication of passage 35 with passages 36 and 31 is cut off. Hence, water flowing from supply pipe I through by-pass H in plunger rod 45 I3 into cylinder 23 and pipe 3| will build up a back pressure in cylinder 23. Inasmuch as the I diameter of upper plunger I6 is greater than that of lower plunger I5, the force tending to close valve 8 will be greater than the force tending 50 to open the same which is exerted against plunger I5 by the water under supply pressure in discharge chamber 4. Therefore, the plunger rod and plungers carried thereby will be thrust downwardly to close valve 8 and cut off the dis- 55 have leaked past plungers I! or I charge of water through pipe I to the sprinkling unit.

At such a time,governed by the timing mechanism to be hereinafter referred to, as the solenoid may raise plunger valve 43 to place passages 35, 36 and 31 in communication, the flow of water passing through by-pass ll, cylinder 23 and pipe 3! will be unimpeded by plunger valve 48, with the result that the by-pass flow will be exhausted through-passages 35, SI, 31 into pipe 4| and out through drain 2. With this arrangement, no back pressure will be created in cylinder #3 and water from supply pipe I will pass through valve opening 5 into discharge chamber 4 and out through discharge pipe 'I to the sprinkling head, valve 8 being elevated during this time. I

Stop lugs 41 are formed on the upper side of plunger l6 for the purpose of preventing the upper end of the plunger rod from contacting cylinder head 21 and restricting the flow of water through by-passll. If desired, the upper and lower ends of the plunger rod may carry screens (notshown) whereby solid matter may be excluded from the by-pass.

I have found that unless provision is made to counteract it, the force of the water from supply pipe i tends to urge plungers ii, ll askewor out of a vertical line of action, causing uneven wear thereon, so that after a period of time leakage occurs past the plungers with poor operation as the result. The dependingguide lugs l2 eliminate this tendency by coacting with valve opening 5 during. the sliding movement to guide the valve.

casing 2, I drill or otherwise provide an opening 48 for the purpose of draining water which may trapped therebetween. On each plunger l5, any water so trapped is expelled through opening 4 8 The possibility of water accumulating between theplungers, freezing in cold weather and ..urstin'g the casing is therefore eliminated.

It will be understood that each sprinkling unit will be composed of a set of sprinkling heads and control'devices therefor including solenoid actuated plunger valve 43, casing 2 containing plungers l5 and i6, valve I have shown the elements making up one unit only, for the purpose of simplicity of illustration. In Fig. 1, I have indicated by dotted lines a plurality of the control valveunits.

The reference numeral 8 indicates a suitable conduit carrying therein a plurality of electrical conductors 50 which are appropriately connected to the solenoid terminals. At their opposite ends,

conductors 50 are'connected to terminals SI.

marked 1, 2, 3, 4, on panel 52 of a clock controlled mechanism similar to that shown and described in my copending divisional application, Serial This clock controlled mechanism has a -dial panel 86 provided with valve timing and startative to an orienting pointer I02 and the shaft therefor has a plurality of actuating cams controlled by the setting of the clips ill relative to the dial IIM, these clips coacting with notches and become upstroke of a I and a supply pipe i;

ii! formed in the dial. As described in detail in the above copending application, it is possible to arrange the timing and periods of actuation of the various solenoid controlled valve actuating devices 34 by appropriate setting of dial I relative to the pointer I" and of the V clips Ill relative to the dial and one another. The starting dial llil also has an orienting pointer I02 associated-therewith, as well as. a clip 98 coacting with the dial for determining the time of starting operation of the clock controlled -mechanism, as described in the copending application. The dials are driven by suitable synchronous motors (not shown) and appropriate wires 14, 11, I9 are connected to terminals 15, I6 on the panel 52 for completing the various actuating and timing-circuits of the mechanism. The line terminals 80 on the control panel are under the control of a manually actuated switch 89 .and the leads I25 connect the solenoid terminals 5| with the circuit making timing instrumentalities of the mechanism.

The solenoids are successively actuated at predetermined times and for predetermined intervals by means of the above referred to clock controlled mechanism and the actuation of the respective fluid pressure controlled valves 8 constituting the subject matter of this application ensues immediately following the cnergization oi the corresonding solenoid. The said fluid controlled valves are simple and rugged in construction and are not likely to get out of order or to require frequent inspection or seasonal adjustment or cleaning. 1

I have illustrated and described my improvements in an embodiment which I consider very practical. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe other embodiments or adaptations as it is believed this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt'my improvements as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as newand' desire'to. secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a diflerential plunger valve device comprising a casing having an upper cylinder portion, a lower cylinder portion of smaller diameter and a valve opening surrounded by a valve seat beneath said portions, plungers in said cylinders, and a'valve adapted to coact with said seat, a plunger rod on which said plungers and valve are mounted, said rod having a longitudinal by-pass therethrough, and depending guide lugs carried by said valve cooperating with said valve opening to guide said plungers and valve .for reciprocating movement in said casing, said casing having a drain aperture therein adjacent the point of meeting of said upper and lowercyl-- inder portions.

2. In combination, a diiferential plunger valve device comprising a casing having cylinder portions of diiferent diameters, and a valve opening surrounded by a valve seat, plungers in said.

cylinders, and a valve adapted to coact with said seat, a plunger rod on which said plungers and valve are mounted, said rod having a longitudinal by-pass therethrough, and depending guide lugs carried by said valve and cooperating withsaid valveopening to guide said plungers and valve for reciprocating movement in the casing.

. ALFRED C. ARBOGABT. 

